Support Groups

One of the greatest parts of attending college is that you have the opportunity to meet people who share the same passion and interests. In a predominantly-white university, these people can become a support group that you fall back on. Your support group can be family, friends, teachers, advisors, or a student group. Whatever it is, having a support group will help ease your transition into college.
When I was a freshman, I lived in a Living Learning Community (LLC) called Tsev Hmoob (in English this translates to Hmong House). There were 19 of us. We were grouped together based on similar interests and it wasn’t long before we became friends. Every night was either a movie hangout or board game night. It was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me in college. Tsev Hmoob was a great support system because I could speak my mind without fear of being shut down. I could talk about my personal, work, school, and love life and Tsev Hmoob would be supportive of my decisions, nod in agreement, or advise me on an alternative plan.
As you navigate your way in higher education, a support group is a great motivator to push you to participate in college activities, meet new people, and experience new things. I have included the following resources that students can find at the University of Minnesota. Some can work great as a support group while others are resources for you if you want to talk to someone about problems you are having. Maybe there are similar resources on your campus too!
Let’s Talk (https://counseling.umn.edu/lets-talk ): A great resource for informal counseling sessions for students to talk about any problems they are experiencing. Everything is confidential.
Boynton De-stress(https://boynton.umn.edu/de-stress): A great resource for stress management and finding solutions to the problems you are dealing with.
Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (http://mcae.umn.edu/): Great place for students to meet new people, get tutoring services, or simply to relax and study.